I've always loved legends. Modern legends as well. Who was where when and that sort of thing.
As a kid my family home received a famous visitor in the Sixties or the early Seventies. I have no recollection of it at all and indeed I may not have been at home. The visitor was one Billy Fury, the rock 'n' roll star aft dubbed the British Elvis. Family lore has it that he was a friend of my Parent's son-in-law at the time. He came round and Billy tagged along. I imagine my Mother swooned when he walked in!
The closest I actually came to seeing Billy was many years later when I stood next to his statue in his home-town of Liverpool, by which time he himself was long gone.
Elvis lore is always good value. he pops up regularly in work talk, especially about winning the lottery. "There is more chance of Elvis coming round for dinner than winning the lottery" and that sort of thing. Naturally there's a lot of "Elvis has left the building!" too.
I was aware that Elvis had set foot on British soil once. Its a well-documented and photographed stopover at Prestwick airport in Scotland in 1960, where the press and the local kids mobbed the young GI Presley. However, there is chatter this year of another visit earlier in the late 1958, where the King knocked about with one Tommy Steele, the UK's first rock' n 'roller and visited the sights of London town. Steele seems to regret this secret coming out.
I wonder if Billy Fury knew Tommy Steele? Did Fury ever meet Elvis? Blimey, imagine if all three had come round to my Mum and dad's house for a cuppa! My Mother would have fainted!
There is of course much more Elvis mythology and one I've mentioned before - the Elvis/ James Dean Harley Davidson Gift - appears to have become an urban myth over the years of it being retold and retold - exactly how I heard it - and as is always the case with rumours it changes over time. I have just read a whole chat room thread claiming that the Harley was in Australia. Who knows but I like the story.
Have you any rock 'n' roll star lore or legends to share readers? Have you any rock 'n' roll memorabilia?
